I have a new toy. It is a very nice toy, and like most good toys, it has a real educational purpose. But it is still fun, and I am finding new ways to enjoy it. The toy is a Disklavier. That name (this is going to be an unabashed sales pitch, so get ready) is derived from the CD (Compact Disc), which can provide playable info to the piano, and the German word for upright piano (Klavier). The first Disklavier was a Yamaha U1 upright piano...but more! (See all the stuff I am learning!).

As you must know by now, a Disklavier is a technologically enhanced piano. In this case, it can play all by itself, reproduce exactly with incredible nuance anything that you play into it, and perform from a remote source, say, a flash drive or the internet.

Not long ago, Paul and I had the pleasure of watching a research librarian from the College of St. Scholastica, as he witnessed a performance derived from an old piano roll (designed to play on ancient player pianos) of former CSS piano professor Jan Chiapusso. We were reliving an incredible bit of history. Once again, a toy that can educate!

So, one of the cool things this piano can do, is play Disklavier Radio stations from the internet. There are musical styles for every taste among the 30+ channels. Twenty-four hours a day. Live, acoustic piano playing. It is playing right now in the store, and has been amazing customers, and piano students, and parents of piano students, and me, since we hooked it up.

It was there before, but now we have a way to demonstrate it in the store using our laptop. It is ridiculously easy to use, and amazing to experience. Now, a performance, even a live performance, can be watched, while the Disklavier in front of you plays it in perfect synchronization. Eventually, we hope to have a regular TV monitor along side the piano. That will come. But, in the meantime, come on down and play!